Kelly-Powell lands first Big Ten offer

Miami (Ohio) gave Detroit Cass Tech class of 2017 safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell his first offer on Sunday, and his first Big Ten offer came just two days later from Northwestern.

"Northwestern is a pretty good school," Kelly-Powell said after receiving the offer. "They are going to get a strong look because they are great academic-wise and I like that environment."

Kelly-Powell was able to discuss his offer from Northwestern with Wildcat's head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

"Coach Fitzgerald is a great guy," Kelly-Powell said. "I talked to him and he is more about family. I mostly learned he likes to get to know his players so he can help his players out at the next level and in life."

Even before the offer, Kelly-Powell had a familiarity with Fitzgerald and the Northwestern program due to a recent unofficial visit.

"I visited two weeks ago. It kind of was a junior day, and I went down there with a couple (teammates)," Kelly-Powell said. "They are building a new indoor field so the players don't have to walk a mile to practice. I felt comfortable, like I knew them. They didn't come off hard to me and they didn't come off too easy."

With two offers in hand, Kelly-Powell plans to continue being active on the recruiting scene this spring. His next planned visit will go to another Big Ten program.

"March 28 I am supposed to go down to Ohio State," Kelly-Powell said. "Coach (Kerry) Coombs, who is recruiting me, keeps telling me to keep doing what I am doing and I am getting there. I like the Buckeyes; it is a great school."

The 6-foot, 180-pound Kelly-Powell is being recruited as safety, cornerback and nickelback by different schools. He was the second leading tackler for Cass Tech last fall, registering 55 stops.